Under the dusky yellow sunset, the hospital lay in ruins, reduced to smoldering ashes. Adrian stood before the devastation, his eyes fixed on the destruction, his body motionless as sparks drifted through the air.
From somewhere behind him, Rachel approached quietly, her expression heavy with sorrow. She reached out to touch his arm.
"Brother."
"Rachel."
Adrian turned to face her, calmness etched into his features. Forcing a faint smile, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why are you here?"
"Mom is heartbroken," Rachel replied softly. "She's worried about you, so I came to see you secretly. Have we really lost Dad?"
"No," Adrian said, gently caressing her tear-streaked face. "As long as we haven't seen the worst outcome, there's still hope."
"They say Lana and Dad are missing. I… I fear Dad may never return," she whispered.
Though Rachel had never spoken much, she shared a bond with Jonathan and her mother that allowed her to feel their emotions. She could sense Jonathan's pain, his joy, even from his unconscious body. This empathy let her experience life alongside others.
Adrian lifted her into his arms, letting her bury her face in his chest, letting the sorrow flow freely. His gaze drifted back toward the ruined hospital, eyes cold and filled with fury.
"Do not cry, Rachel. I will make them pay twice over for what they've done."
As he carried her away, he crossed paths with Clark, who walked silently toward him. Their eyes met briefly, but neither spoke. Clark's face was etched with grief and regret, but he held his tongue.
At Kent Farm, Adrian carried Rachel inside, where Martha approached, her expression heavy with sorrow.
Seeing them, tears welled in her eyes. She ran to Adrian, wrapping him in an embrace. "I shouldn't have come back… if I hadn't returned, I would have been with Jonathan, and Lana wouldn't have suffered this…"
Her voice trembled, weighed down with guilt. "It's all my fault."
"No, Mom. This has nothing to do with you."
Adrian held Rachel with one arm while comforting Martha with the other. "I know who orchestrated this tragedy. I swear, every person responsible will pay."
He lifted his gaze to the horizon, where the sun dipped low. His expression was serene, but the calm belied a storm within. America, with all its claims of justice and human rights? Adrian scoffed coldly. Soon, they would witness the collapse of their illusions.
The explosion at Metropolis City Center Hospital had left hundreds dead or injured, countless others missing, wiped from records. It was the deadliest disaster in the city since the alien invasion, immediately drawing public outrage. Citizens demanded accountability, but the government pinned the blame on Boomerang Captain, now reduced to fragments by the explosion. Despite doubts, the public accepted the narrative, and the matter faded from immediate scrutiny.
Smallville.
Jonathan's funeral was held at Kent Farm as snow fell softly, blanketing the earth. Clark, dressed in black, stood before a line of pine trees, watching the delicate ice crystals descend. Grief weighed heavily on him as he glanced toward those gathered, each waiting for the funeral procession.
A strange familiarity tugged at him. Memories surfaced—visions of a dream he had while studying at Kansas Central University during his father's campaign for State Councilor. The dream had shown him his father's funeral, snow falling around them. He had dismissed it as premonition or fantasy. Now, it was reality.
Clark clenched his fists, refusing to accept it. Martha, eyes glistening, took his hand, calming his storm of emotions. Chloe's eyes were red from crying, and Lois' face mirrored her sorrow. Lionel stood with a bouquet, expression unreadable, while others—Pat, Courtney, Bart, and Metropolis' Green Lantern Jenna—looked on with grief.
From the forest's edge, Clark saw a figure he had not seen in years—Wonder Woman. She stood silently beside Adrian, solemn and steadfast before the graves.
Clark followed his mother forward, passing the crowd to witness a coffin lowered into the ground. Despite preparation, the reality struck him like a physical blow. He had lost not just his father, but Lana—the girl who had occupied his heart for years. Pain surged through him, and he pressed a hand to his chest, gasping for breath.
Adrian, standing near the gravesite, paid no mind to Clark. His eyes were fixed on Jonathan's tombstone.
"Adrian, are you alright?" Diana asked, her hand finding his cold one. She had been in Washington tracking Cheetah but rushed back upon hearing of the tragedy.
"I am fine," Adrian said quietly. "More clear-headed than ever, in fact."
Diana's concern did not waver. "I can feel your anger… suppressing it may only harm you. Whatever you need, I am here to help you release it."
Adrian's gaze sharpened. "Even if it means war?"
Diana met his eyes steadily. "Even if it spreads to Themyscira. The warriors of my people never fear battle. If you can make the world better, I will stand by you. Always."
Adrian nodded, a cold resolve settling over him as the coffin reached the bottom of the pit. He turned and walked away, Diana following silently. Bart, Jenna, the Wonder Twins, and others exchanged glances before trailing behind.
Clark, after greeting his white-haired grandfather holding a sleeping Rachel, watched Adrian leave the funeral with a large entourage. A dark sense of unease settled over him.
Meanwhile, in the Presidential Palace, the President held a meeting when a sudden crash interrupted the room. A dark figure appeared.
"Mr. President, I have something to say," Adrian said, his presence impossible to ignore.
"W-what?!" The President fumbled for a phone, intending to call security.
In an instant, Adrian was before him, having neutralized all the guards. "Try to challenge me again, and you will meet their fate," Adrian warned.
"No! Don't kill me! Homelander!" the President begged.
"I will not kill you… yet. But know this: the war between us has begun. Your life is now in my hands, and this country is under my control."
With a swift motion, he sent the President flying across the lawn, landing on him with a foot pressing against his chest.
"Someone is filming!" Diana's voice called from above, hovering nearby.
"Perfect. Let the world hear," Adrian replied coldly. He dragged the President forward.
The United Nations Headquarters erupted into stunned silence as Adrian landed on the podium, the trembling President beneath him.
"Today marks a new era," Adrian announced. "The United States will no longer be ruled by fear or weakness. From this day forward, I lead. No more endless wars. No more criminals roaming free. Under my command, this nation will rise, and justice will be absolute."
His manifesto broadcast across the world, leaving millions awestruck. Jonathan's death had freed the shackles within Adrian.
===
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